Trainee Experience

As a dual ICM/renal trainee, I have had the somewhat unique opportunity of being able to experience a range of specialties across different hospitals within KSS.

From busy coastal and countryside DGHs to tertiary units in London and Brighton – the clinical exposure has been broad and diverse, so has the lifestyle aspects.

The learning opportunities have been plentiful, and I have had great clinical and interpersonal support from colleagues and consultant supervisors who have actively encouraged me to pursue additional interests including education, leadership and fellowships abroad.

Despite the logistical challenges of dual specialty training, both TPDs have been supportive and accommodating and I would recommend KSS to anyone considering dual ICM and renal training. I have thoroughly enjoyed my training and it has been especially rewarding bringing the experience and skills of one specialty to the other in a collaborative manner.

I went to Medical School because I wanted to work in Critical Care and Anaesthesia. My drive was what I had luckily witnessed for years as a hospital porter. I now feel more than lucky to have a career that doesn’t
feel like a job.

Throughout my training in KSS, I have always been lucky enough to be able to combine my outdoor interests with being a trainee. Training here has also provided me with an opportunity to improve as a person, not only as a doctor.

In KSS trainee representation is considered a vital component of a good training programme, and I, alongside a group of other active trainees take the trainee rep role very seriously as we want to help others improve as doctors and people.

My ICM experience at KSS has been excellent despite the challenges of this specialty during the recent covid pandemic.
I have seen a wide variety of cases during my training and have gained vast experience in general, neurosurgical, paediatric and cardiac ICU.

The training programme has given me all the tools I need to equip me for my ongoing career as an intensivist. Importantly though, it has also been enjoyable, fulfilling and diverse.

 I would highly recommend doing ICM at KSS deanery.

Throughout my training I have been supported by enthusiastic consultant colleagues in both clinical and professional development. As a result, I have been involved in research, teaching and echocardiography accreditation and encouraged to develop autonomous practice appropriate to my level of experience.

There is a good range of exposure to DGH and tertiary centre rotations with units that offer a varied medical and surgical case mix and a distinct focus on preparing senior trainees for life as a consultant.

The effective collaboration between the training personnel of each specialty has been a prominent feature of my time in the programme and should be a key consideration for anyone wishing to follow a dual training pathway.

Two years ago, I joined KSS Deanery as an ICM trainee and the following year, went on to become an Acute Medicine Registrar as well. When I initially commenced my higher specialty training, my ICM TPD and Educational Supervisors were immensely supportive in seeing that I settled into ICM training especially given my background had been ACCS- Acute Medicine.

Among my early memories of being with KSS Deanery, I treasure recollections I have of my first ICM and AIM Regional Introductory Meetings. The individual TPDs on these two separate days (just over a year apart actually), ensured we the newbies were introduced to the more senior trainees and that we knew we could, where to, and how to ask for help and guidance. I must say they have remained accessible; they work closely together to ensure my training schedule across both specialties flows reasonably seamlessly and do their utmost to deal promptly with any issues tabled to them. The pastoral care and career support from both my ICM and AIM Educational Supervisors has been impressive, given the varied requirements of both specialties.

As a dual trainee in ICM and AIM, I am spending alternate years in both specialties. I have had ample opportunity to accrue new procedural skills, improve my clinical acumen and, to a phenomenal degree, hone in on Multidisciplinary Team, inter-specialty communication. There are ICM and AIM Regional training days; useful avenues for providing academic support to achieving competencies especially with “hard to reach areas” of the curriculum, and of course facilitating peer to peer interaction.

There is encouragement and support from both specialties regarding acquisition of special skills, be this in Ultrasound (FICE ECHO, FAMUS), Bronchoscopy or indeed any of the other 20 options that Acute Medicine offers. The deanery offers a variety of hospital rotations to suit various aspects of the training and give ear to socio-personal circumstances to the best of their ability. I have also benefitted from leadership training opportunities; the MediLead programme which is available in some of the hospitals within the KSS Deanery region.

Everyone has been supportive. I am learning a lot as an ICM-AIM registrar with the KSS Deanery.